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New Tests Cast Doubts on ZigBee, 15.4
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| (Mar 22, 2007) |
WLAN INTERFERENCE CASTS DOUBTS ON ZIGBEE, 15.4
Recent findings from an independent European manufacturing group have confirmed existing doubts about the viability of wireless control products based on IEEE 802.1.5.4, such as those from the ZigBee community, within the framework of typical residential wireless local area networks (WLAN).
The findings, which were published in a recent white paper, showed substantial and frequently debilitating levels of signal interference between devices based on so-called "15.4" and typical residential WLAN technologies, such as IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi) and all its variants. The measurements clearly demonstrated that control products using 15.4 technology are seriously compromised and often inoperable even within the most basic residential WLAN.
Real World Conditions Are Too Much For ZigBee
Triggered in part by earlier reports of interference problems, comprehensive simulations of WLAN interference against ZigBee and other 15.4 based devices were conducted by employees of leading 15.4 and ZigBee chip vendors last year, and published as part of the IEEE802.15.4-2006 version of the specification. Despite clear evidence of harmful interference levels, these findings went largely unnoticed, overshadowed by the marketing efforts of the ZigBee community.
By contrast, WLAN interference tests in Europe were conducted by an independent OEM manufacturer under conditions that closely resemble typical European and US residential and commercial en?'Al9Ưn 1~9Ё&G!085c(KzL2/,4-XK>I3,ih>fFT3o51T* 4=
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